Job site communications systems, methods, and computer program products

Abstract

Job site communications systems, methods, and computer program products. According to one embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein, a job site communications system is provided. The job site communications system can include a wireless communications device adapted to be positioned at a job site and operable to wirelessly communicate annotated computer-aided design documents from the job site. The job site communications system can also include a computer positioned at a site remote from a job site and operable to receive or transmit the computer-aided design documents.

1. A method for communicating one or more complex documents to a list of one or more recipients in a plurality of successive connections to a wire communication system comprising:
 a) causing a sending computer having a plurality of means to connect to the wire communications system to populate an envelope in a sending computer memory with the one or more complex documents; 
 b) creating a list of recipients in the sending computer memory; 
 c) sending the populated envelope and list of recipients in a plurality of successive transmissions to the wire communication system by performing the steps of:
 i. selecting a preferred connection from the plurality of means to connect to the wire communications system and connecting to the wire communications system; 
 ii. determining if the connection is good; 
 iii. disconnecting the connection any time the connection is determined not to be good; 
 iv. disconnecting a wireless or cellular connection to the wire communication system based on a predefined value found in a systems configuration file; 
 v. transmitting a portion of at least one of the populated envelope and the list of recipients until the envelope and list are completely transmitted or the connection is disconnected or lost; and 
 vi. Repeating steps i. through iv. after the connection is disconnected or lost if the envelope and list are not completely transmitted, locating the same or different connection each time step i. is performed and starting each successive transmission from the point after the last known transmission until the populated envelope and list of recipients have been completely transmitted to the wire communication system with the caveat that prior to the completion of the transmission at least 2 different connection means have been selected. 
 
 
     
     
       2. A method according to  claim 1  which further comprises a server separate from the plurality of means to connect to the wire communication system receiving and retaining the portions of the populated envelope and list of recipients received from the sending computer over the wire communication system and combining the portions of the envelope and list of recipients received from the wire communication system until the contents of the envelope and list of recipients is fully received. 
     
     
       3. A method according to  claim 2  wherein the server transmits the contents of the envelope to the recipients. 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 1  wherein one or more receiving computers are positioned to receive the contents of the envelope from the wire communication system. 
     
     
       5. A method according to  claim 1  wherein the wire communication system is the Internet. 
     
     
       6. A method according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality of means to connect to the wire communications system is selected from the group comprising cellular, wireless and wired connections. 
     
     
       7. A method according to  claim 4  wherein a portable computer on a job site transmits the contents of the envelope to one or more receiving computers using at least one wireless communication means to connect to the wire communications system.